So I reread the book for the 2nd time recently and it made me kind of excited for the movie. (I liked it better the 2nd time around.) But it made me curious how they are going to turn this book into a film. How are they going to do Melanie's voice? And how will they do it w/cutting stuff out (it's a long book) and have it all still make sense? It's going to be interesting to see what happens.

I don't know if anyone's interested in my ramblings, but some Facebook friends of mine recently asked me which parts of the book I thought would make it into the movie. I thought I'd post my response here, if anyone's interested. Sorry for the length.

I think the movie will start with Melanie running from the Seekers, probably heading for the elevator shaft. I also don't think Sharon will be in it; so I think it will probably be Uncle Jeb or Aunt Maggie she was seeking. It's possible they may keep what happened to her until Wanda wakes up, but I think a brief flashback to it at the very start will tell the audience the connection between Mel as she was and Wanda now. Then they will switch to the insertion scene. I think they will keep dialogue in that to a minimum, perhaps with the wish of good luck from the Healer. There may be reference to her other lives, although I think that will come later. They will probably just concentrate on the visual aspect of the insertion at this point.I think we will flash back to the elevator shaft briefly as Wanda awakes, with a quick flash of Jared's face as well. I think she will scream at this point. The conversation between the Healer and the Seeker will probably still be there, although it will be much briefer and only cover key points: is there a human resistance? Is this girl part of it? That is what they need to know from Wanda. I'm not sure if they'll have reference to Kevin, the soul who was taken over by the human he failed to subdue, maybe a brief reference, as it is relevant, although they'll probably want to make it visual, so maybe Wanda will meet him, and see his behaviour firsthand. They may have him attacking a healer in front of Wanda.It will be difficult to show Melanie's resistance to Wanda at this stage, and I'm not sure how much internal dialogue they will have between them throughout the movie. I think they will have to have some, certainly as Mel and Wanda become friends. I think those moments will be most likely when Wanda is alone.I think we will flashback to Mel meeting Jared, but I'm not sure if it will be fully played or just flashes. It will probably be a dream that Wanda has, though. I think they will still have her emailing the Seeker about that, but I think they will skip the bit with the Comforter completely. They will probably go straight to the Seeker turning up at her class and, if any of the Comforter's lines are relevant, they will make them harsher and give them to the Seeker. They may refer to the Comforter, so that the audience is clear that Wanda is having problems with Mel, but I think that will be it. This will still lead to her decision to go and see her Healer, which will lead to her discovering Picacho Peak, and that that is where the lines she has been seeing lead. She may have some internal talking with Mel at this point.I think the scene where she finds the hut will be left out. They will just have her continuing to wander and grow weaker until Uncle Jeb finds her. I think it's possible he will bring her back to the caves unconscious, rather than the group standing around her in the desert, although they may still do that. Certainly, having eight of them surround her makes a good visual, so they may keep it true to the book, but, if they do, I think Jared will be with them. Then I think they'll meet Jamie as soon as they go back to the others at the caves. I think the fight with Jared trying to save her from Kyle and Ian will also be at this time, if it's there at all, and Jeb will pull rank with his gun.I think it likely Jeb will still volunteer information to Wanda about the caves, how he found them, and how everybody got there, for the sake of the audience, but I think it's more likely to be after the others have gone away, which I think will happen for the first time quite soon after Wanda gets there. They may have been on their way out when they found her. I also think it's likely they will only go out once.I think we'll see the Seekers searching, with Wanda's Seeker at the head. We'll probably spend some time with them as she tries to convince them to keep looking for Wanda.It's difficult to tell exactly what of the middle section, when they are away for the first time, they will include, and in what order. I think they will have Jamie guarding Wanda and asking her about herself. I'm not sure how much they will include about the other planets Wanda has been on. They would be interesting visuals if shown in flashback, but would probably be expensive outlays for something relatively unimportant to the overall story. I do think they will show her gradually starting to teach the others about herself, and Jeb's probing questions about her. Jamie will be the first to discover – and believe – that Mel is still there, and I think they will follow that with Wanda starting to become more accepted.I think they will probably show a 'montage' of Wanda becoming more involved in the community, with Ian watching her, probably resentfully at first, but with growing interest and assistance. Towards the end it will become clear that he wants to protect her, although I think the protection will be more from Jamie and Jeb initially. I do think Wanda will ask Ian why he hasn't killed her. I'm not sure if they'll show Wanda Doc's hospital at this stage or leave it till later. I think they'll cover the need for medicines, but I suspect Doc's role will be smaller in the movie, if not actually given to someone else.I think Wanda will run away to her 'prison' after the guys come back the first time. They may well have the internal dialogue with Mel at this point, possibly with Wanda speaking aloud, while Mel speaks in her mind. I think they will give us the idea something's going on at that time that Wanda doesn't know about, as it does in the book, with Doc (or whoever) being upset and drinking. I think Jamie and Jared's fight will still be in, but I think it might be that that convinces Jared that Mel might still be alive, and that it might be at that point that he kisses Wanda, or at least asks her about it. I think, if he does kiss her, Ian will come to see what's happening, and they will have their disagreement about Jared kissing her then.I'm not sure if Walter will be in at all. It might be easier to do without him and achieve what is necessary without him. Kyle can find Wanda alone for plenty of reasons and attack her, perhaps after a scene showing how many in the community, particularly Ian, accept her.I'm not sure they'll bother with the tribunal, although I think time will be taken, at this point, for Jared to confess that he believes Wanda, as this will lead straight into the jealousy between Ian and Jared, which will develop rapidly at this point. I don't know if we'll get the soccer game. It's not like the baseball game in Twilight, which was fun because of the extra senses at play in the vampires, and was necessary because it led to James' hunt. This game doesn't have enough of a purpose to be included. Kyle's guarantee of not hurting Wanda could come after the tribunal, or whatever they have in its place. I think the standoff with Jared when Ian carries Wanda to his room will still be there, as with the discussion outside and what he says to Wanda in the room.The second outing is difficult because there's no reason for it. Even in the book, we suddenly come upon the scene when they've already been gone for several days. I think it's more likely they'll find some souls hiking or something and bring them back. Wanda can then happen upon the scene and be horrified. I don't think she'll mourn for days, but she'll definitely have it out with them over what has happened. I think Jamie will be wounded as they bring the souls back, and then Wanda will go out with Jared, as per the book, to get medicine to save Jamie. I think they will still have the scene where Wanda realises Mel is gone and they have to kiss her to get her back, because that's fun, but it isn't 100% necessary to the story. Ordinarily, it would probably be the kind of thing they'd leave out, but since it heightens the love triangle I think it will stay.I think Wanda will cut herself, but the face wound will be too much. They won't have her face scarred. She will only cut her arm.I think the Seeker will follow them back from the hospital and will then kill Wes (or whoever) before being captured. From there, it will probably follow the book pretty well. Wanda will decide to give them the knowledge of how to remove her, which they will test on the Seeker. I don't think they'll show them going out to get the cryotanks – it will just be clear that they got them. Then Kyle will get Jodi, and Ian will overhear Wanda say that she is intending to leave. He will object and she will sneak off, but Jared will stop Doc (or whoever) from killing her. They will get her another body, and live happily ever after.I'm not sure if they'll cover them meeting the other humans. They might, to set up a sequel, but the happiness of everyone together might be a better note on which to end the movie.